Saturday, January 8, 2011

2 North Star

North Star by Barb Fife

Northern women opposed to slavery raised money for the cause through Anti-Slavery Fairs, much like our Christmas Crafts Bazaars. The antislavery newspaper, The Liberator, described the 1836 Boston fair:

“The Hall was filled with visitors at an early hour, and continued full until late in the evening. Very many of these were not abolitionists, but belonged to a large and increasing class of the community, who have been strongly abolitionized by Anti-Slavery efforts … The cake table was loaded with varieties of cake, made of sugar not manufactured by slaves, and near it was placed the motto, “Free Labor.” … There was a great variety in the articles, and many of them were very handsome and tasteful.”

Handmade items included pen wipers inscribed with “Wipe Out the Blot of Slavery” or “Plead the Cause With Thy Pen.” Needle holders proclaimed, “May the use of our needles stick the consciences of slaveholders.” Needle books shaped like shoes had written on the bottom, “Trample Not on the Oppressed.” Watch cases were inscribed with “The political economist counts time by years, the suffering slave reckons it by minutes.” Bunches of quill pens were bound with a label that read, “Twenty-five weapons for abolitionists.” Candy was wrapped in papers printed with poetry: “Come little ones! For the sweets you see, Were made by the labor of the FREE.”

Abolition Crib Quilt (Reproduction)

by Barbara Brackman & Terry Thompson

1996

Our inspiration was the quilt

in the collection of Historic New England.

A cradle quilt was made of patchwork in small stars. On the central star was written with indelible ink:

“Mother! When around your child

You clasp your arms in love,

And when with grateful joy you raise

Your eyes to God above—

Think of the negro mother,

When her child is torn away—

Sold for a little slave—Oh, then,

For that poor mother pray.”

Detail of our reproduction with the central inscription

Lydia Maria Child, one of the Boston Fair’s organizers, wrote in a letter: “You have doubtless learned the success of our Fair … My cradle-quilt sold for $5.” Her quilt has, amazingly enough, survived. The Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, now Historic New England, owns a small star quilt with the exact poem inscribed.

Lydia Maria Child 1856

Quilts remained important to the era’s fairs. In 1846, TheLiberatordescribed a “North Star bed cover,” named, undoubtedly, for the escaping slave’s heavenly guidepost. The simple star here, one of the oldest patchwork patterns, represents the abolitionist’s needlework in our sampler. It’s been published by many pattern companies under many names, including Aunt Eliza’s Star or Variable Star, over the past 120 years or so. Today’s quilters often call it Sawtooth Star.

27 comments:

Oh deary me I jsut couldn't ressit checking before I went to bed..ermm now I jsut have to see what fabrics I will be using..this is so awsome to read the story then make the block-bless you Barbara,cheers Vickie

I am so pleased with these blocks! Thank you so much for hosting this BOW. I plan to donate mine to the Quilts of Valor. I will post my completed block on my blog this am.http://fatesdesigns@blogspot.com

I still don't get the button concept. If you click on it you see the blog and you can copy the code from the very top. Regarding printing these. I'd select the type you want to print and go to Print. Print selection. Hope that works.

Barbara- Thank you so much for this wonderful blog and the historic information. I live in Washington state now, but I was born in Virginia and grew up in Georgia where the Civil War and 'Dixie' is still very much a part of the history and culture of the area. I am following along and making the blocks for my own Civil War anniversary project. I'm learning so much- I'm currently reading the book by Eliza Potter- the Google Book you posted. I am really enjoying it!! Southern history is close to my heart- Thank you!!! Sandy